Wreath forming machine



April 1953 H. o. ENGLERT WREATH FORMING MACHINE 2 SHEETSSI-IEET 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1950 I H m "n m '"m INVEN TOR. HENRY 0. ENGLERT gm 2mm.

HTTOENE YJ April 14, 1953 H. Q-ENGLERT 2,634,532

WREATH FORMING MACHINE Filed NOV. 7, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. HIE/way O. ENGLEET BY Q Jdrkr Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES FATE 4 OFFICE WREATH FORMING MACHINE Henry 0. Englert, Auburn, Wash;

Application November 7, 1950, Serial No. 194,551

5 Claims.

rials of the kinds above listed, in uniform sizeand adequately tied to insure the maintenance of their form while in use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine of the above stated character, comprising a platen on which the wreath forming material can be quickly arranged and held in the desired, circular form, a plate for compressing the material for tying, and a manually operable wire feeding device whereby the end of a wire as extended from a spool or source of supply may be placed in position for being tied about the wreath forming material as held in the platen.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character wherein the wire feeding device is located at one side of the ma chine, and the platen is adapted to be rotatably indexed and is provided at its periphery with equally spaced and radially directed slots for the passing of the wire feeding device therethrough with the successive indexing movements of the platen.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine for the making of wreaths that,

Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine, a part of' the press plate being broken away for the showing of underlying parts.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the wreath forming platen, the press plate and shuttle, as seen in line 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 41s a sectional detail of one of the pres plate holding dogs. I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, longitudinal section of the'wire feeding device and a part of its supporting and operating lever.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the turret indexing stop.

The device of the present invention, is designed for the holding of wreath forming materials, of the kinds previously named, in circular form,

, and the application of tie wires about the secured material to maintain the material in wreath form when removed from the machine; the device being so constructed that the accurate, satisfactory and economical making of wreaths of uniform size can-be accomplished,-even by persons who are blind. In brief, the device comprisesa rotatably mounted platen on which pieces of material used can be easily and readily assembled and held in circular wreath form; a press plate for compressingand holding the material for tieing and a wire. feedingdevice that is manually operable for passing of wire ties about the formed material for its securement in wreath form when removed from the platen. 1

Referring more in detail to the drawings- The machine comprises a flat horizontally disposed base lil upon which, at its center, a standard II is rigidly mounted. The base and standard may be of wood,'.metal or other suitable materials, and their'size, shape and height may be varied to meet requirements, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Rigidly fixed upon the upper end of'the standard is a horizontally disposedplate' l2, and rotatably secured thereon is the platen by means of which the wreath forming materials are as-' sembled and held in wreath form for tieing. This platen comprisesa flat, circular, base plate I3 of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the wreaths to be formed, and secured concentrically upon a plate [4 of substantially lesser diameter by means of a plurality of bolts l5; these bolts being projected upwardly through the plates, with their heads seated in sockets 16 in the under side of plate l4, and with wing nuts This bolt extends upwardly to its upper end. It is well shown in Fig. 3 that the plate l3 has a large hole 26 coaxially therethrough and a metal washer 21 is fitted in the bottom of this hole against the top side of the plate M. The washer 2! serves as a wear plate and it is through this plate that the bolt l1 eX- tends.

It is also shown in Fig. 3 that a metal wear plate or disk 22 is disposed between the plates l2 and I4; andis. secured to the; under side: of plate 14" by screws 23 passed upwardly therethrough into plate l4.

Mounted in the plate l3 and extended upward"- ly from its top side are two concentrictrows of: pins or pegs 24. The pins of the two rows are equally angularly spaced and each row; in thepresent instance, is shown tm comprise twelvec pins. Also, the pins as applied to the inner and outer rows are radially aligned on the plate: In= the formation of a wreath, the selected material placed: between. these; two: circular: rowss. of pins and is thereby held in circular: iormirion compression and: tieingrv-togethenr.

It: is: also; to be observed: by reierenne to: Figs:. 2 and 3, that the plate L32 iss fOrmedwithradial; slots 2%? that; lead thereinto; irnm: the: outer: periphery to a distance beyond the innen'circle' oiii pins; 21%; thesev slots: being: located; between. the radially aligned; pins: in: the: two: ciroulan: rows as: WGILShQWIl' irnFig: 2;;

Associated: with. the plate Ii: is: aicircularr disls. or: plate filliref erred torasatheflpressz plate-S." This: is; adapted. to: bee horizontally disposed: upon the? platenias; shownrin Eig; 3;,and1 preferably iszof; the: same diameter asplate I13; and. formed: with; radiali slots ail: that; are: located. directly," above those injplatezv I3}. whem the; plate: 301 is: in; use.-.-. Then P1813131 30.: alsoglis formedzwithmolessfli f orrthe easy passage-r therethrough, of; the; pins; of; the; twd circularsrows whemthezpressspiate issassemzbled withcthe platen; and:is;iormediwithzholesfifi; in: alignment: with; the; wing: nuts: li'az: as applied: to: bolts: l; in; orderthat: these nuts; willlnot ine terfere with the press plateibeing brought; down: close to;plates 1-3:.

In the use of the machine, the press plat'eeisz applied; to; the platenafter material to:form1-.a wreath. has: been properly; placed: between: the concentricprows-ofzpins 24:, ltriszuseditoscompress; and:v hold; the; wreath forming; material; to. the; extent; desired: while: the; tie. wires? are: applied;- theretm.

I0 2 hold: thezpress plate; securely "inaaz clamping: position, it is equipped;atzdiametricallyr'oppositez sides: with; grippers: 355-35; each. of; which; comprises as short; strip; of; spring: steel,"v scoured at; its; innerend which; is& within; the; inner circle: of; pins.- 2 d, to; the: pressplate: by; screws. 36.; The: springgstrips are in radiallalignment with aligned; pins: of: the two circularrrows; of: pins. Adiacentc its-point of 2 seeurementeachstrip -isbent-upward?- 1y as ;at 36a: and: then downwardly and: outw-arde: 1y;- as: at 3By to: extend beyond theinnerr row Off pins and.- then is: bent to; extend ihorizontally be:-- ypndthe periphery of; the-dish The--strips. -.35': are formed with: holes; fi t-31: for: the: passage: oithe aligned ;p ins-therethroug-h. The;. size oitthe1 holes that. receive therpinszlofi thee-inner; row 'and the slope of the sprin strip-ixsuch thatea firm; holding of; theegrip; strip; with. the pin; is: automatically, effecteditojhold the presssplaite against lifting after; being pressed; down; against 511%: wreathmateriah However, thei gri strip canibefieasily, and readilyT released; by,' pulling? their; free: outeri ends upwardlyrelativeto; the, press; plate:

After wreath forming material has been properly laid on the platen between. the rows of pins 24, and has been compressed and secured by the press plate, it is tied by the application of wire ties thereabout. This is accomplished in part by use of the wire feeding device best shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The wire feeding device comprises a tubular barreldll. onto the upper endrotwhichha, conical tip 41 isremovably threadedi Thevtipiss formed with a coaxial passage 41" for the passage of the tie wire, such as that designated by reference character -w. As a means of applyin tension' to? the: wire, to prevent its free running in the wire feeding device, a short rubber plug or core-fl isfitted in the barrel is adjacent the tip. This; core. has. a; small central hole 153 through which the wire can be pulled. However, the plug, applies a desired holding friction on the wire that prevents its unthreading after being cut for the; tieing? operationi.

The- Wire fBHdiIlgfdfiViCB: rigidly: mounted. to: extend: upwardly; and: inwardly from; the; outer: end: of an; operating; arm; 5th The, arm: extends; radially outward from the upper endzportiona. the'standard: I is to which: it. is pivotally; fixed-film a1 pivot: pirr 5! -.t The: arm; is: adaptedi to: be oscil lated in a vertical: plane; and by'thiszactibn; tow causethe wire: feeding; device? to; be:- swung: up-

: wardly: and projected: througln aligned sluts the; platen.- andpress. plate: as: shown;inifiill;line's inzFig. Land to; bEslBiildBtBdLtOl aipositionsbelbwthe:;platen,, as shownzinzdottelzhlinesh It is shown in Figs..l; and 3". thaizazspoeli 55 1 carrying a: supply of suitable? wire: is: rotatably supportedlifromithesouter end of. the; armafilbbyiai supporting rod 55. Tliewire --w--can1be* easily.v

drawn: from the spool; and: passed; throughitherzwire: feeding; device. 411 and: from; the;- conicai; tip Whemthe wiresieedingrdeviceeisziinits uppenposia tion", it'WiIlprOJ'ectthrough; aligned siotsofi the: platemand' press; plate upward: beyond; the: top:- ofvthewpress .platecat theinside oirthezfnrmedmaa terial, ,as in: Figs 3.

The means for manual operation: oittheewire: feeding: device; comprises aa foot treadia. or: lever BBFPiVOtEdZtO the; standard?v I I; near "its lower' end}. by; pivots bolt 6 and: extended; outwardly theme from. A; link: 62; is: pivotally." connected: to: the? treadlee as: at; 63 and? to the; shuttle? mounting: IQVEITZIIIILESE atztez A stop; on thefiann 50 6115': gages? the? standard? to; limit: the" upward swinger otthawiresfeedingedevice andza-coiledspring'fiei' is attached under tension to the standard; and? to; the :t'reaidlato:yieldin'gly:hoiditheiwire feeding device atL-itSLHpper-I limit off travel; that being 'tlic position .in;whieh-:it';isshown-' in: Fig? 32 v The: wire. feeding device may be retractedibw downward pressure against the foot plate= 62; on th'ezouterrend of-fthe-treadle:

The; application of: wire ties t'othe wreath at regularly spacedi intervals calls-for the indexing of; the platen? for the passing of th'e' wire feeding device upwardly through" the variousslots= of! ;theplaten andspressplat'e: To'sinsuraeasy andi accurate indexing; Iiliave'i provided. the plate?- 2-22 on its under side with: 3110111011131; rowofle'qually spacechballiseatslfii fzl 'Ilheseare spaced angularly in accordance with the spacing of slots ofitlierplaten-.4 Eixediimthe. plate: is a:- ball cartridge? T0 in;whichla'. ball 71; is held-and: pressedi upwardify by a spring 12. The ball is: arrangedito engageinithe-iballseats as the: plateneis-izrotat'ably. ad;- va-need, ,thus-to insure the: propertlocatingmiithes plate slots relative to the positionlofi tl-ie wiiet feeding device. However, slight rotative force applied to the platen will unset the ball and permit an indexing operation.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed and assembled the use of the device for making a wreath is as follows:

First the wire, which is preferably a fine, soft aluminum wire, is threaded from the spool through the wire feeding device. To permit easy threading, the tip ll is first removed from the barrel 4?} and the rubber core lifted out. Then the wire is projected upwardly through the barrel 4B and through the hole in the rubber core, and through the tip. The core is then reseated in the barrel and the tip applied.

The press plate is removed from the platen and the wreath material placed by hand in the form that is defined between the two rows of pins projecting upwardly from the plate. If desired one or more wire loops may be laid in the form before the wreath is formed. Then the press plate is applied and pushed down to compress and hold the material in place for tieing. This is accomplished by grasping the end of the wire as extended beyond the shuttle tip as shown in Fig. 3, and pulling it out to a required length, then depressing the pedal and grasping the wire just below the platen and cutting it at the point, then pulling the lower end of the cut wire tie about the wreath and securing the ends of the tie. The tie is thus located about the wreath material as exposed in the slots of the platen and press plate. The platen is then indexed one interval, and the wire feeding device returned to normal position by the spring 66 upon release of pressure on the foot treadle.

This tieing operation is repeated until the wreath has been properly secured, whereupon the press plate is lifted off and the finished wreath removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A machine for the making of wreaths comrising a support, a circular platen mounted on said support, two spaced, circular rows of pins fixed in the platen, perpendicular thereto and coaxially thereof to receive wreath forming material between them, a press plate disposed above the platen to coact therewith for the compacting of the wreath forming material as held between the rows of pins; said press plate having holes therethrough for the free passage of the said pins upwardly therethrough, and said platen and press plate having radially directed slots formed therethrough, in vertical alignment and extending across the space between the two rows of pins to the inside and outside thereof, and a manually operable wire feeding device mounted by said support for passing of wire ties through aligned slots for securement about the wreath forming material while held under compacting pressure by the press plate.

2. A machine as recited in claim 1 wherein said radial slots open to the peripheries of the platen and press plate and wherein the said wire feeding device is mounted below the platen for passing the end portion of a tie wire upwardly through vertically aligned slots of platen and press plate at the inside of the wreath forming material as held between the rows of pins; said wire feeding device comprising a tubular barrel through which the end of the wire is threaded and a vertically movable mounting means for the barrel operable upwardly to move the tubular barrel upwardly and endwise through the slots and operable downwardly to withdraw it to a position below the platen.

3. A machine for the making of wreaths comprising a standard, a base plate fixed horizontally thereon, a circular platen mounted for axial rotation on the base plate, two spaced circular rows of pins fixed in the platen perpendicular thereto and coaxially thereof to receive wreath forming material between them, a press plate disposed above the platen to coact therewith for the compacting of wreath forming material as held between the two rows of pins; said press plate having holes therethrough for the free passage of the pins in the functional application of the press plate, means on the press plate arranged to grip certain pins to hold the plate in a compacting position; said platen and said press plate having radially directed slots formed therein in vertical alignment and extending across the space between the rows of pins to the inside thereof and having ends open to the peripheries of the platen and press plate, and a wire feeding device mounted on the standard below the platen, with which the slots of the latter may be registered by rotative adjustment of the platen; said wire feeding means comprising an arm mounted on the standard for oscillation in a vertical plane, a tubular barrel fixed to the outer end of the arm and through which barrel a tie wire is threaded, and a manually controlled means on the standard for actuating the arm to a lowered position at which the barrel is disposed below the platen, and to a raised position whereby the barrel is caused to be projected endwise and upwardly through aligned slots of the platen and press plate, at the inside of the rows of pins.

4. A machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the said manually controlled means comprises a foot pedal pivoted on the standard, a link pivotally connecting the lever and arm whereby the barrel is mounted, and a spring attached under tension to the foot pedal and standard to actuate the pedal and arm upwardly when foot pressure is removed from the pedal.

5. A machine as recited in claim 3 wherein a reel is mounted on the arm of the wire feeding means and said tie wire is drawn from a supply wound on said reel and is threaded directly through the barrel.

HENRY O. ENGLERT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 17,559 Pullets Jan. 7, 1930 753,629 Von Renthe-Fink Mar. 1, 1904 1,624,238 Hanson Apr. 12, 1927 2,521,795 Kelley Sept. 12, 1950 

